October 15, 2025 - Romans 13-15

Following up on yesterday’s thoughts – “Kind of a must-be-holy-but-we’re-not-holy-but-we-have-the-righteousness-of-another-which-means-no-one-can-make-any-successful-charge-against-us thing.” – God has given gifts and, also, one another to help us become more and more like Christ – in dealing with enemies, in loving others, in submitting to the authorities, etc. – and, especially, we have the example of Christ himself.  The gospel, the Savior, the fellowship of the church, spiritual gifts, the Scriptures . . . God has given us all we need in order to grow in the likeness of Christ.  And one day, we’ll actually get there! This is a certainty:   “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called,  He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (8:29,30).

All for Jesus! All for Jesus!

All my being’s ransomed pow'rs,

all my thoughts and words and doings,

all my days and all my hours.

Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus,

I’ve lost sight of all beside;

so enchained my spirit’s vision,

looking at the Crucified.

O what wonder! How amazing!

Jesus, glorious King of kings,

deigns to call me his beloved,

lets me rest beneath his wings.   --Mary D. James (1873)